zed?

hey

Another?

Christy, why is this – dated tomorrow – posted on Tuesday? Have a good trip!

Christy!

so many threads!

recoveringlurker @ 4

Christy, why is this – dated tomorrow – posted on Tuesday? Have a good trip!

Stuck in the time warp?

read the whole thing and…single digit?

Time warp.

suckitude?
floppy fred?
corduroys?

bwahahaha!!!

BTW sorta OT I lerve the fact that Billo is sort of advertising the state of Lieberman’s posture towards the present administration himself. Good work, Billo!

Since I posted after conscience, I guess I owe him a coke.

wow – is it tomorrow morning all ready?

OldCoastie @ 12

wow – is it tomorrow morning all ready?

Guess I missed my flight.

Did anyone see Jon Stewart last night on Bush Blair. So great. Lapdogs and milkbones. And then Blair’s former whatever responding in the interview. Great stuff.

Jesus, Christy. I love, I mean REALLY love, all the red meat (or soy sausages) you throw out to FDL readers. But what’s the goal? What is your purpose. I’m a fan. A big fan. Just curious.

Christy – Thanks to a comment in the previous thread providing a link to the following article, I think I see one possible source for what was concerning Adie earlier today: Will Bush Cancel The 2008 Election?

Please note that the authors did not mention Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution.

From a very recent ThinkProgress post: Specter: McConnell Letter Doesn’t Cut It, Waiting To Hear Directly From Gonzales

Yesterday, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, gave the Bush administration until noon today “to resolve the controversy over apparent contradictions in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’s congressional testimony.”

Missing the noon deadline, the White House released a letter this afternoon from Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, which stated “one particular aspect” of the NSA’s domestic spying program, “and nothing more, was publicly acknowledged by the President and described in December of 2005.” Gonzales was also supposed to provide a letter of clarification to Specter by noon, but it has not been sent.

On CNN’s The Situation Room this evening, Specter briefly responded to McConnell’s letter, saying “I am not prepared to say” Gonzales didn’t lie “until we get Attorney General Gonzales’ letter.”

(snip)

Folks — this is meant for tomorrow, that’s why the date is as it is. For some weird reason, the servers goofed and put it up today. I’m flying to YKos tomorrow and trying to get things together for you all. Sorry — but comments aren’t going anywhere except into a queue that no one can see right now. Please go to Jane’s current thread. Thanks — this will return tomorrow…

And Jonathon, you try filling content for a blog seven days a week, packing and raising a four year old and spending time with your family and see if you are immensely focused, on point and relevent every moment of your day. And then we’ll talk. Sometimes, you just need a laugh…

Christy Hardin Smith @ 18

Folks — this is meant for tomorrow, that’s why the date is as it is. For some weird reason, the servers goofed and put it up today. I’m flying to YKos tomorrow and trying to get things together for you all. Sorry — but comments aren’t going anywhere except into a queue that no one can see right now. Please go to Jane’s current thread. Thanks — this will return tomorrow…

And Jonathon, you try filling content for a blog seven days a week, packing and raising a four year old and spending time with your family and see if you are immensely focused, on point and relevent every moment of your day. And then we’ll talk. Sometimes, you just need a laugh…

Thanks. I trust you.

zed redux? how do these get counted?

FDL rocks for all loveblogging!

Christy note to self:

Do NOT leave FDL in the hands of the pups. All hell breaks loose! *g*

Testing 1054 CST Aug 2 2007

yellowdogD @ 22

Testing 1054 CST Aug 2 2007

Nope. 1984.

Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 17

From a very recent ThinkProgress post: Specter: McConnell Letter Doesn’t Cut It, Waiting To Hear Directly From Gonzales

Yesterday, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, gave the Bush administration until noon today “to resolve the controversy over apparent contradictions in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’s congressional testimony.”

Missing the noon deadline, the White House released a letter this afternoon from Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, which stated “one particular aspect” of the NSA’s domestic spying program, “and nothing more, was publicly acknowledged by the President and described in December of 2005.” Gonzales was also supposed to provide a letter of clarification to Specter by noon, but it has not been sent.

On CNN’s The Situation Room this evening, Specter briefly responded to McConnell’s letter, saying “I am not prepared to say” Gonzales didn’t lie “until we get Attorney General Gonzales’ letter.”

(snip)

He got the gonzo letter but is not likely to be satisfied. Some of the language is identical to the letter from Mike McConnell’s letter.

Q —
1) can/will civil suit re: Plame/Libby go forward?
2) can we see neena totenberg’s sock puppets? two levels of reporting — for each other & for the public

Marcy – no civil suit.

Snook:

new question — did snook/the judge have any complaints?

that some of the stuff from the media room ended up on the blog

I was watching Leahy go off to get more coffee and when I come back he and the entire panel is gone? What happened?

Will blog readers be excluded from jury pools?

Hopefully not, no more than people who read MSM news sources.

yellowdogD @ 22

Testing 1054 CST Aug 2 2007

I hope you’re right!

I guess we’re current here. Did the attorneys firing committee hearing end?

O/T Breaking News New problems for Ted Stevens.

Smack dab in the middle of Anchorage is a piece of land located right next to our beautiful municipal library. Uncle Ted came to own it recently, and in short order it was re-zoned, and then sold to become the site of the new Federal records repository. Bottom line: quick flip for over a million dollars in profit.

The Mayor of Anchorage had opposed the re-zoning when he was on the city council, but changed his position. Plus, he has business partnership with one of the co-owners on a nearby office building. He sold the office building and made $20,000. He explains that the re-zoning of the land for the records depository was after certain concessions were made to the people who wanted it to be made into a park. He is a democrat, and sometimes mentioned as a possible candidate for a Congressional seat. (His father was Don Young’s predecessor) With respect to him, the land deal is a fart in a windstorm, imho.

But w/r/t Ted Stevens, his career is heading down the toobz.

[reposted from downstairs]

Christy “it’s OK to have knowledge about a case but not pre-judge it.”

Snook — People want to be on the jury. Want to be a celeb and write a book.

Ahgoo @ 26

I was watching Leahy go off to get more coffee and when I come back he and the entire panel is gone? What happened?

adjourned

Bush on CSPAN3. What an idiot. Laments that spending bills are not being passed. He conveniently forgets how bad the Republicans were in passing these bills before the fiscal year began.

Now the slimey Boehner is up. Holding the Democrats accountable. Cut me a break. Republicans are the worst thing that ever happened to this country.

Good lord Jonah just really takes stupid to a place it’s never gone before.

Help Pups!

Would someone be able and willing to help me get my “sea-legs” in re: Kos panel coverage.

Where to find best schedule coverage.
Where to find live-blogging schedule & coverage.
Any YouTube planned, or other video?

BIG apologies for being out of the loop. I knew it was starting, but not when, & have been running fast to keep up with life such as is, at home.

Would appreciate any details, even just links so I can find details myself. THANKS!

Rethuglicans cannot govern.

They have blown it over there [Iraq]
so we can’t fix it over here… [NOLA; American infrastructure]

Beginning an occasional series of quotes from Thomas Paine.

“A mixed Government is an imperfect everything, cementing and soldering the discordant parts together by corruption, to act as a whole. …

In mixed Governments there is no responsibility: the parts cover each other till responsibility is lost; and the corruption which moves the machine, contrives at the same time its own escape. When it is laid down as a maxim, that a King can do no wrong, it places him in a state of similar security with that of ideots and persons insane, and responsibility is out of the question with respect to himself. It then descends upon the Minister, who shelters himself under a majority in Parliament, which, by places, pensions, and corruption, he can always command; and that majority justifies itself by the same authority with which it protects the Minister. In this rotatory motion, responsibility is thrown off from the parts, and from the whole.”

— Rights of Man, Part I.

For “King” read “Imperial President”; in much, for “hereditary” read “permanent Republican majority”.

“When men are spoken of as kings and subjects, or when Government is mentioned under the distinct and combined heads of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy, what is it that reasoning man is to understand by the terms? If there really existed in the world two or more distinct and separate elements of human power, we should then see the several origins to which those terms would descriptively apply; but as there is but one species of man,there can be but one element of human power; and that element is man himself. Monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy, are but creatures of imagination; and a thousand such may be contrived as well as three.”

Pretend this is music and transpose it into a key suited to the present day. His point is this last paragraph is developed at length later, that there is fundamentally Society and not Government; Government is always an agreed-upon contrivance, and Society may change it at any time

Hey FirePups! Posting this comment from the back of the room at YKos event Liveblogging the Libby Trial — and Christy and Marcy look and sound great!!

Marcy is doing her trademark talking with her hands. Heh.

What would you do differently?

Marcy — now having done congressional hearings as well …. Marcy is public at congress and not media. Different in court. No access to electrical power at congressional hearings. A guest of the dems. Perhaps this can change as they earn their credentials.

Our readership is going up. MSM readership going down. They may want to keep us out.

Jeralyn wants bloggers to have access to the daily transcripts. VERY expensive per day. Indigent bloggers need to get a copy too. We have less than full access.

Q-Two levels of reporting, one for fellow reporters and one for the dummies reading the paper.

SS, different level of understanding. (Jeralyn asks if there was anything bloggers did that the court objected to.) He says not that the court had a problem with, but some things the media had a problem with. HA!

Christy, had to be sensitive because you don’t want someone to get fired for something they said in the media room.

Marcy-we had continuity so it got easier. Civil suit is not going to go forward in her opinion.

Q- if someone is knowledgable about the case, should they be excused from the jury pool?

SS, lawyers do a good job in determining bias. When something is this heavily covered, you wonder about someone not knowing anything. Are they truthful.

Pach, jurors try to get through, Fitz did a great job of seeing through someone. (I would have paid more attention if I’d known that was Pach!)

Q-Is there anything you’d do differently or better next time you liveblog?

Marcy- One day she left Libby as media then went into SJC as citizen. Some people wondered how she could switch hats, but in the SJC she could say what she wanted as a democrat. Totally different role. One interesting thing in the media room is the angst. These guys newspapers are losing money, so their jobs are really on the line. FDL readership is going up, and MSM readership is going down.

Rayne @ 38

Hey FirePups! Posting this comment from the back of the room at YKos event Liveblogging the Libby Trial — and Christy and Marcy look and sound great!!

Marcy is doing her trademark talking with her hands. Heh.

Hi Rayne! Suggest links for finding what coverage there is, e.g., Marcy blogging? future panels? schedule? Thanks!

I hereby move that all further hearings on the Attorney-gate issue be held in the SJC.

And that, once a weasel like Rove refuses to comply with a subpoena, the HJC also issue a subpoena to the same person, find that person or persons in contempt, and hold an inherent contempt trial in The House.

Christy’s giving a closing. :) She and Marcy had a lot of knowledge, but some MSM did as well. But they have to fit the whole case into two minutes or a certain number of inches of print. This was frustrated for them. And frustrating for the reporters to see “God knows what” on the front page instead. Kept getting smaller and smaller coverage in print media. This was an eye-opener for Christy.

Marcy — editors cut important things.

End of panel.

Thanks to Marcy, Christy, Jeralyn & Sheldon Snook!!!!

Christy, The tv people have a difficult time trying to report in the two minutes they are given, and the print media only gets so many words/space they can use. It’s frustrating for them and a real eye opener.

Marcy-everyone in the room wanted to put the fact that Libby had time for Tom Cruise, but the editors cut it. That detail was important and bloggers could put it.

Panel over and hello Rayne!

TexB, where are you?? I see you commenting…and we’re in the same room…??

Adie, all I can direct you to at this point is the YKos site, and ask you to see if you can still get into the YKSL event since much will carried there in parallel.

Rayne I am the lady in the red wheelchair.

TexB @ 43

Christy’s giving a closing. :) She and Marcy had a lot of knowledge, but some MSM did as well. But they have to fit the whole case into two minutes or a certain number of inches of print. This was frustrated for them. And frustrating for the reporters to see “God knows what” on the front page instead. Kept getting smaller and smaller coverage in print media. This was an eye-opener for Christy.

Marcy — editors cut important things.

End of panel.

Thanks to Marcy, Christy, Jeralyn & Sheldon Snook!!!!

Thanks TexB. Sorry for confusion earlier.

Loo Hoo!! Where are you, too?

I’m at the north end of the room, black dress, cream sweater, dragging my unchecked-in bags!

So wonderful that the last part of Christy’s post means this is not OT.

Bush, bless him, gave Gordon Brown a present of a BOMBER JACKET!!!!!!

Perhaps you have to be a lowland Scot like me, brought up in the shadow of the Kirk, to know how utterly unimaginable it is that Gordon might wear a bomber jacket, except perhaps as fancy dress -now there’s a thought, Gordon on Halloween pretending to be GWB announcing Mission Accomplished. I shall enjoy the rest of today just savouring that thought.

Rayne @ 45

TexB, where are you?? I see you commenting…and we’re in the same room…??

Adie, all I can direct you to at this point is the YKos site, and ask you to see if you can still get into the YKSL event since much will carried there in parallel.

TNX!

jayt @ 42

I hereby move that all further hearings on the Attorney-gate issue be held in the SJC.

And that, once a weasel like Rove refuses to comply with a subpoena, the HJC also issue a subpoena to the same person, find that person or persons in contempt, and hold an inherent contempt trial in The House.

The Senate has the same powers of inherent contempt. Trial in the Senate.

In case anybody’s interested, here’s Obama’s big talk.

http://my.barackobama.com/page…..amaHQ/CpHR

BigMitch @ 51

jayt @ 42

I hereby move that all further hearings on the Attorney-gate issue be held in the SJC.

And that, once a weasel like Rove refuses to comply with a subpoena, the HJC also issue a subpoena to the same person, find that person or persons in contempt, and hold an inherent contempt trial in The House.

The Senate has the same powers of inherent contempt. Trial in the Senate.

Someone mentioned yesterday that the vote threshold for contempt in the Senate is 60 votes rather than the simple majority in the House. Can anyone confirm?

Great video clip. Extremely colorful. Thanks Christy.

Have fun in Chi-town. I always liked Eduardo’s for Pizza. Also, if you are really adventerous and are willing to go to the South Side — Harold’s Fried Chicken. Half chicken on top of white bread and french fries drowned in hot sauce…

Siun went to the Univ of Chicago…she should be able to tell you about it.

excellent article from Sidney Blumenthal re the Gonzorovocheno crime family.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/b….._gonzales/

Guiliani stealing a baby in the canned goods aisle…yep, that is creepy.

And Leahy’s line about Catch-22:

“Did you read it?”
“No”

Thats Catch-21…not knowing Catch-22.

:D

What the hell is this??? It is a new EO regarding blocking assets of people involved with Lebanon/Syria….however, in it, the president has declared 8/2/07, national emergency. By doing this, isn’t he automatically putting Directive 51 and the other EO’s into effect????

“Sec. 4. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that, because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render these measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that, for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.”

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..802-1.html

What other things does slipping this declaration of national emergency into this EO impact??? Have they just opened Pandora’s box, or am I being completely paranoid?

BigMitch @ 51

jayt @ 42

I hereby move that all further hearings on the Attorney-gate issue be held in the SJC.

And that, once a weasel like Rove refuses to comply with a subpoena, the HJC also issue a subpoena to the same person, find that person or persons in contempt, and hold an inherent contempt trial in The House.

The Senate has the same powers of inherent contempt. Trial in the Senate.

Better numbers in the House.

The news is en fuega today too.

As I make it out, the Rep governor of Minna. is blaming Dems for the bridge collapse. There has not been a transportation bill in Minna. since 1998, IIRC, in part because the governor vetoed the bill last year.

Meanwhile, as has been noted here, Bush calling for Congress to pass a spending bill. I thought the reason it wasn’t passed is that Repug fillabustered it. Wasn’t that what the all nighter was all about?

This is a golden opportunity. Reid should announce that Congress will head his call, and stay in session, or at least the Senate. Mention that part of the reason is “we don’t trust Bush w/r/t interim appointments.”

Then see how long it Republicans can talk if they want to fillabuster.

1135 Structurally deficient bridges in Minna. and another 400 are functionally obsolete. About 9% 3%., of total respectively.

Too bad those foolish Minnasotans didn’t take their $200 tax cuts from the start of Bush administration and buy better bridges. Trust the free market, eh?

Underestimates anyone?

AP – U.S. officials underestimated how difficult it would be for the Iraqi government to pass political reforms, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday, adding that the “depth of mistrust” among the factions is greater than anticipated.

LS @ 57

08/02/07 National Emergency? What? Have you more? (Date seems kinda familiar, hmmmm.)

LS @ 57

What the hell is this??? It is a new EO regarding blocking assets of people involved with Lebanon/Syria….however, in it, the president has declared 8/2/07, national emergency. By doing this, isn’t he automatically putting Directive 51 and the other EO’s into effect????

“Sec. 4. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that, because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render these measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that, for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.”

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..802-1.html

What other things does slipping this declaration of national emergency into this EO impact??? Have they just opened Pandora’s box, or am I being completely paranoid?

I don’t see how you can be completely paranoid with BushCo, LS, not possible.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 60

Underestimates anyone?

AP – U.S. officials underestimated how difficult it would be for the Iraqi government to pass political reforms, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday, adding that the “depth of mistrust” among the factions is greater than anticipated.

Anticipated by whom? Fucking idiots? Well, I would suppose so.

thanks for the loveblogging for those of us who can’t be there!

jayt @ 42

I hereby move that all further hearings on the Attorney-gate issue be held in the SJC.

And that, once a weasel like Rove refuses to comply with a subpoena, the HJC also issue a subpoena to the same person, find that person or persons in contempt, and hold an inherent contempt trial in The House.

Watching the SJC hearing this morning was an exercise in frustration & futility. Something must be done about this ludicrous claim of a blanket presidential privilege that stretches to cover even the confirmation of the contents of emails already in the record that Leahy & Shumer have in their hands & are reading from.

SJC needs to get beyond incredulous looks & snarky comments & take some concrete action to pry loose this crucial testimony.

Leaving for work- read you all later, & once again, thanx for all the SJC & Libby panel liveblogging.

David W. Bartoo @ 61

LS @ 57

08/02/07 National Emergency? What? Have you more? (Date seems kinda familiar, hmmmm.)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..802-1.html

Jonathan @ 15

Jesus, Christy. I love, I mean REALLY love, all the red meat (or soy sausages) you throw out to FDL readers. But what’s the goal? What is your purpose. I’m a fan. A big fan. Just curious.

Long live Bloggers.

No meat, no pushback.

No pushback, no country.

Lack of country for six years.

No joy.

Jane plus Christy = JOY. “~}

Oklahoma kiddo @ 60

Underestimates anyone?

AP – U.S. officials underestimated how difficult it would be for the Iraqi government to pass political reforms, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday, adding that the “depth of mistrust” among the factions is greater than anticipated.

Yes, well these are the same people who are still in denial about Iraq being in civil war. Being behind the curve has become like a second home to them.

Something must be done about this ludicrous claim of a blanket presidential privilege that stretches to cover even the discussion of emails already in the record that Leahy & Shumer have in their hands & are reading from.

SJC needs to get beyond incredulous looks & snarky comments & take some concrete action to pry loose this crucial testimony.

Given the presence of Lieberman and the absence of Tim Johnson, I don’t know that the Senate could convict.

And the tie-breaking vote belongs to…..

The American Society of Civil Engineers statement:

“27% of bridges in U.S. are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.”

“The situation is worse than it has been in several decades.”

I called my Rep (Ed Markey) this AM about HRes. 589 to begin an impeachment inquiry against Gonzo and had a long talk with the person who answered the phone. She didn’t know what 589 was but as soon as the word impeachment came out of my mouth she said that there are more important things to pursue, there was no time for impeachment, and the Senate would never convict. We had a long talk (mostly me talking) about what was wrong with each of those points. In the end she said she would communicate my concerns to Markey.

Here is why I’m writing this up:

1) I’ve been making calls about impeachment to Markey for months and this is the first time there was a prepared response. This means they are starting to hear the calls. This leads to an ACTION ITEM: Keep calling. If you get a reason for not moving forward, tell them that is unacceptable. Let them know how angry you are.

2) Impeaching Gonzo is a separate topic from Shooter and Chimpy. We need to get our reps to absorb that. ACTION ITEM: Make separate communications over 589 and impeaching Shooter & Bush. There is a much better shot at getting things started with 589 so push that.

The upshot is, I think we are making progress but need to keep at it.

I M P E A C H ! ! !

LS @ 57

I haven’t looked but the national emergency in question is the one declared after 9/11. IIRC this language shows up in a lot of these orders.

jayt @ 69

Something must be done about this ludicrous claim of a blanket presidential privilege that stretches to cover even the discussion of emails already in the record that Leahy & Shumer have in their hands & are reading from.

SJC needs to get beyond incredulous looks & snarky comments & take some concrete action to pry loose this crucial testimony.

Given the presence of Lieberman and the absence of Tim Johnson, I don’t know that the Senate could convict.

And the tie-breaking vote belongs to…..

In the Senate it takes 60 votes to get to the debate to even consider bringing criminal contempt charges. Not going to happen.

Hugh @ 68

Oklahoma kiddo @ 60

Underestimates anyone?

AP – U.S. officials underestimated how difficult it would be for the Iraqi government to pass political reforms, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday, adding that the “depth of mistrust” among the factions is greater than anticipated.

Yes, well these are the same people who are still in denial about Iraq being in civil war. Being behind the curve has become like a second home to them.

The Daily Show takedown of Larry King/Dick Cheney last night was LOL funny on this point.

Big Mitch @ 59: Amen.

realworld @ 71

I called my Rep (Ed Markey) this AM about HRes. 589 to begin an impeachment inquiry against Gonzo and had a long talk with the person who answered the phone. She didn’t know what 589 was but as soon as the word impeachment came out of my mouth she said that there are more important things to pursue, there was no time for impeachment, and the Senate would never convict. We had a long talk (mostly me talking) about what was wrong with each of those points. In the end she said she would communicate my concerns to Markey.

Here is why I’m writing this up:

1) I’ve been making calls about impeachment to Markey for months and this is the first time there was a prepared response. This means they are starting to hear the calls. This leads to an ACTION ITEM: Keep calling. If you get a reason for not moving forward, tell them that is unacceptable. Let them know how angry you are.

2) Impeaching Gonzo is a separate topic from Shooter and Chimpy. We need to get our reps to absorb that. ACTION ITEM: Make separate communications over 589 and impeaching Shooter & Bush. There is a much better shot at getting things started with 589 so push that.

The upshot is, I think we are making progress but need to keep at it.

I M P E A C H ! ! !

And where to 67 votes exist in the Senate to convict Attorney General Gonzales?

Hugh @ 72

LS @ 57

I haven’t looked but the national emergency in question is the one declared after 9/11. IIRC this language shows up in a lot of these orders.

I see. I saw that, and I understand that it needs to constantly be renewed. However, doesn’t it also give him power over all three branches of government in light of other directives recently ordered – or is that only in the case of a “catastrophic national emergency”. Maybe there is a difference.

LS, thank you, is it customary to willy nilly
declare such national emergencies? When will
the people be informed? Interesting document,
many E.O.s are, my favorite is EO 11000.

“Where Tony Blair fell hook, line and sinker for Mr Bush’s flattery, Mr Brown seemed utterly impervious to it. . . .”

Here’s (wistfully, but sceptically) hoping that Ms. Pelosi models Mr. Brown, rather than Mr. Blair, in the Bush “flattery” department, with developments like this one taking place (we know of at least one course during this cozy meal that never made it ‘on the table’):

From NBC’s Mike Viqueira

A minor tidbit: It turns out that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul broke bread last night [Tuesday evening] at the White House with President Bush and his wife, Laura. The evening began with a one-on-one meeting between the president and the speaker, after which they were joined for dinner by their spouses, according to Pelosi.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com…..00823.aspx

David W. Bartoo @ 76

LS, thank you, is it customary to willy nilly
declare such national emergencies? When will
the people be informed? Interesting document,
many E.O.s are, my favorite is EO 11000.

Alaska has a statute which says, “It is the policy of this state that emergencies are rare occurances,” or words to that effect.

Hugh @ 68

Oklahoma kiddo @ 60

Underestimates anyone?

AP – U.S. officials underestimated how difficult it would be for the Iraqi government to pass political reforms, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday, adding that the “depth of mistrust” among the factions is greater than anticipated.

Yes, well these are the same people who are still in denial about Iraq being in civil war. Being behind the curve has become like a second home to them.

Also there seems to unanimous agreement about not signing away their oil.

One of Cheney’s official jobs is to make sure that the scattering of gooper illiterates who still support the administration never get the facts of what’s really going on- by getting teevee messages from Cheney that we’re winning in Iraq- that we’re only fighting Al Queda there- that the troops are enjoying their flowers and candy provided by the Iraqi people- etc. they keep the dimmest americans on their side- and Cheney doesn’t mind soundin like an idiot.

LS @ 57

What the hell is this??? It is a new EO regarding blocking assets of people involved with Lebanon/Syria….however, in it, the president has declared 8/2/07, national emergency. By doing this, isn’t he automatically putting Directive 51 and the other EO’s into effect????

“Sec. 4. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that, because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render these measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that, for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.”

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..802-1.html

What other things does slipping this declaration of national emergency into this EO impact??? Have they just opened Pandora’s box, or am I being completely paranoid?

Probably. Here’s what Wikipedia says about the invocation of this act (i.e., Bush’s action jibes with its usual use here):

There were 32 declared national emergencies between 1976 and 2001. (Ref. 3) Most of these were for the purpose of restricting trade with certain foreign entities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) (50 U.S.C. 1701-1707)

Here’s a link from wikipedia that includes all instances of such “emergencies” since 1976:
http://fpc.state.gov/documents…..n/6216.pdf

Gooper Illiteratti

The steel behind the presidency.

OT (Is there a T?) Chris Dodd was supposed to be on the BO’R show last night. Pre-empted due to Bridge story. Anyway, Dodd really countered O’R’s talking pts about DKos. Maybe on tonight?

And….since I didn’t dare add a one-liner to the bulging previous thread….let me say now that Jennings looked like the smug ass that everyone said he was.

Realworld @ 71: All of our MA reps should be co-sponsoring H.Res 589. As of now only Rep. Frank has signed on. This is frustrating. Just when will they get tired of getting their asses kicked?

Marie Roget @ 65

jayt @ 42

I hereby move that all further hearings on the Attorney-gate issue be held in the SJC.

And that, once a weasel like Rove refuses to comply with a subpoena, the HJC also issue a subpoena to the same person, find that person or persons in contempt, and hold an inherent contempt trial in The House.

Watching the SJC hearing this morning was an exercise in frustration & futility. Something must be done about this ludicrous claim of a blanket presidential privilege that stretches to cover even the confirmation of the contents of emails already in the record that Leahy & Shumer have in their hands & are reading from.

SJC needs to get beyond incredulous looks & snarky comments & take some concrete action to pry loose this crucial testimony.

Leaving for work- read you all later, & once again, thanx for all the SJC & Libby panel liveblogging.

The thing that is most laughable about the claim of executive privilege in this instance is bushco is claiming so after they’ve asserted time and again that they had nothing whatsoever to do with the firings of the USA’s.

Bush referred to the Gooper Illiteratti early in his first term when he said:

“You can fool SOME of the people ALL of the time- —-and those are the ones ya have to concentrate on”

(Yeah he really said it- thought it was pretty funny).

here we go
Russia plants flag on Arctic floor

OT – Sad news for those who love Irish traditional music, Tommy Makem who sang with the Clancy Brothers has passed: LINK

Tommy Makem, Irish Singer, Dies

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 2, 2007
Filed at 9:14 a.m. ET

DOVER, N.H. (AP) — Acclaimed Irish singer, songwriter and storyteller Tommy Makem has died of cancer, ending a worldwide entertainment career that spanned more than five decades. He was 74.

pow wow @79:

Do you have any doubt about this after her “let’s just cool down with the veto threats” comment? She gave this delinquent another spanking.

News appears to be focused on the bridge- official death count down ta four from seven. You’d think that the officials could count to four accurately- but apparently not.

“Guess we counted three of em twice”

rwcole @ 90

News appears to be focused on the bridge- official death count down ta four from seven. You’d think that the officials could count to four accurately- but apparently not.

there may be 30 vehicles missing, tho

rwcole @ 92

News appears to be focused on the bridge- official death count down ta four from seven. You’d think that the officials could count to four accurately- but apparently not.

…there are still 20-30 people unaccounted for.

rwcole @ 92

News appears to be focused on the bridge- official death count down ta four from seven. You’d think that the officials could count to four accurately- but apparently not.

Multiple conflicting reports overnight–understandable. ME now has custody of 4 recovered. So far. Sadly, count expected to go much higher. Not good snark material in peoples’ deaths, methinks.

DOJ and Bananas

In Terrorism-Law Case, Chiquita Points to U.S.
Firm Says It Awaited Justice Dept. Advice
By Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 2, 2007; Page A01

On April 24, 2003, a board member of Chiquita International Brands disclosed to a top official at the Justice Department that the king of the banana trade was evidently breaking the nation’s anti-terrorism laws.

Roderick M. Hills, who had sought the meeting with former law firm colleague Michael Chertoff, explained that Chiquita was paying “protection money” to a Colombian paramilitary group on the U.S. government’s list of terrorist organizations. Hills said he knew that such payments were illegal, according to sources and court records, but said that he needed Chertoff’s advice.

Chiquita, Hills said, would have to pull out of the country if it could not continue to pay the violent right-wing group to secure its Colombian banana plantations. Chertoff, then assistant attorney general and now secretary of homeland security, affirmed that the payments were illegal but said to wait for more feedback, according to five sources familiar with the meeting.

Justice officials have acknowledged in court papers that an official at the meeting said they understood Chiquita’s situation was “complicated,” and three of the sources identified that official as Chertoff. They said he promised to get back to the company after conferring with national security advisers and the State Department about the larger ramifications for U.S. interests if the corporate giant pulled out overnight.

Sources close to Chiquita say that Chertoff never did get back to the company or its lawyers. Neither did Larry D. Thompson, the deputy attorney general, whom Chiquita officials sought out after Chertoff left his job for a federal judgeship in June 2003. And Chiquita kept making payments for nearly another year.

What transpired at the Justice Department meeting is now a central issue in a criminal probe. According to these sources’ account, the Bush administration was pulled in competing directions, perhaps because its desire to avoid undermining a newly elected, friendly Colombian government conflicted with its frequent public assertions that supporting a terrorist group anywhere constitutes a criminal offense and a foreign policy mistake.

Chiquita’s executives left the meeting convinced that the government had not clearly demanded that the payments stop. Federal prosecutors, however, are now weighing whether to charge Hills; Robert Olson, who was then Chiquita’s general counsel; former Chiquita CEO Cyrus Friedheim; and other former company officials for approving the illegal payments, according to records and sources close to the probe.

…

rwcole @ 93

“Guess we counted three of em twice”

There are believed to be several still in their cars under water. Recovery is going to be very dangerous and must be slow and deliberate. (according to the MSM)

Snowjob on CSPAM3 bashing Dem Congress for doing nothing.

This is about 110 word paragraph. I hope no one says that this EXECUTIVE ORDER by KommanderGuy does not mean what it says but it means something else. Because our dictatorship is operative now-We are in a national emergency.

_____________________
I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, determine that the actions of certain persons to undermine Lebanon’s legitimate and democratically elected government or democratic institutions, to contribute to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Lebanon, including through politically motivated violence and intimidation, to reassert Syrian control or contribute to Syrian interference in Lebanon, or to infringe upon or undermine Lebanese sovereignty contribute to political and economic instability in that country and the region and constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.

twolf1 @ 99

Snowjob on CSPAM3 bashing Dem Congress for doing nothing.

It’s all they have left. Kinda sad, but not. Phoney Blow is quite pathetic these days.

From the Minneapolis StarTribune:

If it wasn’t an act of God or the hand of hate, and it proves not to be just a lousy accident – a girder mistakenly cut, a train that hit a support – then we are left to conclude that it was worse than any of those things, because it was more mundane and more insidious: This death and destruction was the result of incompetence or indifference.

In a word, it was avoidable.

That means it should never have happened. And that means that public anger will follow our sorrow as sure as night descended on the missing.

For half a dozen years, the motto of state government and particularly that of Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been No New Taxes. It’s been popular with a lot of voters and it has mostly prevailed. So much so that Pawlenty vetoed a 5-cent gas tax increase – the first in 20 years – last spring and millions were lost that might have gone to road repair. And yes, it would have fallen even if the gas tax had gone through, because we are years behind a dangerous curve when it comes to the replacement of infrastructure that everyone but wingnuts in coonskin caps agree is one of the basic duties of government.

I’m not just pointing fingers at Pawlenty. The outrage here is not partisan. It is general.

Both political parties have tried to govern on the cheap, and both have dithered and dallied and spent public wealth on stadiums while scrimping on the basics.

And yes, national MSM has descended big time on Minneapolis. The anchors are even here.

Dang! I want to work for the FDA too!!

Show Me the Money!!

FDA’s Retention Bonuses Rise to the Top
Critics Say Money Goes to Managers, Not Scientists Coveted by Drug Firms

By John Solomon and Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, August 2, 2007; Page A01

Before paying $48,823 in cash bonuses to its chief of regulatory affairs in 2005, the Food and Drug Administration asked her to sign a simple declaration: “If I am unable to receive a retention allowance, I am likely to leave the federal government for a higher paying position in the private sector,” wrote Margaret O’K. Glavin.

Glavin’s statement did not detail a specific job offer, but that did not impede the payment. Over the past 4 1/2 years, she has collected more than $178,000 in cash bonuses — on top of her $159,840 annual salary.

FDA officials justified Glavin’s bonuses by saying her pay should be close to the salaries of those employed by companies she regulates, namely Washington lobbyists. The private-sector comparison has prompted large cash bonuses for top agency officials to quadruple since 2002, to $13.6 million in 2005, according to FDA officials and salary information provided to Congress.

…

twolf1 @ 99

Snowjob on CSPAM3 bashing Dem Congress for doing nothing.

do you know if the SJC is resuming at 2:00 pm?

tbsa @ 100

twolf1 @ 99

Snowjob on CSPAM3 bashing Dem Congress for doing nothing.

It’s all they have left. Kinda sad, but not. Phoney Blow is quite pathetic these days.

Republicans obstruct and then blame the Democrats for getting nothing done. They’ll do the same thing when we leave Iraq. They fought a disastrous and failed war and will blame that too on the Democrats.

Elliott @ 104

twolf1 @ 99

Snowjob on CSPAM3 bashing Dem Congress for doing nothing.

do you know if the SJC is resuming at 2:00 pm?

That’s what they said when they went to recess.

Fielding tells Leahy to get bent wrt Rove and Jennings subpeona’d testimony to the SJC.

I say hold Jennings on inherent contempt, in the nicest of conditions, and send Fielding a letter in response making an counter argument about his executive privlege argument and demanding Rove and Meirs testimony. Do this before the recess and let it sink in with the public.

Refusing to testify is a gift.

Republican philosophy of governing.

They covet. Greed rules. And Me, the Sheeple goes along….

It sounds like Congress may have to do some fine-tuning on what constitutes a ‘national emergency’. I don’t think restricting trade with other countries should qualify. If there’s a war with them, then it comes under the laws of war, and it’s still not an emergency. If it’s a matter of having unfriendly relations (but not a war) it’s still not an emergency. Trade wars are not usually emergencies (although they can certain become emergencies. Where do the DC pundits get their quail from?)

twolf1 @ 106

Elliott @ 104

do you know if the SJC is resuming at 2:00 pm?

That’s what they said when they went to recess.

thanks!
off to pesky errands now then

Go here to see video of actual bridge collapse from Minn. DOT

Scroll down to the video.

Okay, I’m eating lunch and now I’m in full panic mode after reading that bit about the EO.

What the hell is going on???

Frank33 @ 100

This is about 110 word paragraph. I hope no one says that this EXECUTIVE ORDER by KommanderGuy does not mean what it says but it means something else. Because our dictatorship is operative now-We are in a national emergency.

_____________________
I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, determine that the actions of certain persons to undermine Lebanon’s legitimate and democratically elected government or democratic institutions, to contribute to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Lebanon, including through politically motivated violence and intimidation, to reassert Syrian control or contribute to Syrian interference in Lebanon, or to infringe upon or undermine Lebanese sovereignty contribute to political and economic instability in that country and the region and constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.

That’s funny. It doesn’t feel like an emergency…

See @83.

Their power crested a few years back. Meanwhile, the damage they’ve done to constitutional government, the destructive precedents they’ve set, have already occurred without us engaging in hyperbole.

Rayne @ 112

Okay, I’m eating lunch and now I’m in full panic mode after reading that bit about the EO.

What the hell is going on???

Nothing. @83.

No need to panic Rayne. Like I keep reminding everyone, time to invest in guns. Really makes this whole EO and this whole Bush balogna dictatorship laughable

Rayne @ 112

Okay, I’m eating lunch and now I’m in full panic mode after reading that bit about the EO.

What the hell is going on???

Nothing that I can see, beyond that he’s apparently giving CYA notice for being about to seize some assets.

Frank33 @ 100

This is about 110 word paragraph. I hope no one says that this EXECUTIVE ORDER by KommanderGuy does not mean what it says but it means something else. Because our dictatorship is operative now-We are in a national emergency.

_____________________
I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, determine that the actions of certain persons to undermine Lebanon’s legitimate and democratically elected government or democratic institutions, to contribute to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law in Lebanon, including through politically motivated violence and intimidation, to reassert Syrian control or contribute to Syrian interference in Lebanon, or to infringe upon or undermine Lebanese sovereignty contribute to political and economic instability in that country and the region and constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.

See me at 57, and the subsequent responses to my comment. I’m with you. (my bold above) I think they have created a scenario in which to declare such an emergency because of all of the powers he has recently declared that he can claim by declaring such an emergency; hence all of the executive privilege stonewalling, etc. Others comment that we’ve been under a national emergency since 9/11, and that is true too. I think they just quietly attempted or did cement the dictatorship. I think he means what he says.

Rayne @ 110

Okay, I’m eating lunch and now I’m in full panic mode after reading that bit about the EO.

What the hell is going on???

if I had to guess, the shrub invoked some sort of “emergency” so he can seize assets of someone he thinks if funding Hezbollah… I think we’d hear more about it if we were all suddenly under martial law…

Photo Gallery: Bridge: Day 2.

new thread – Jane in the house.

I am so hyperbolic (instead of parabolic or elliptical). I thought I saw a bright, shiny object, but I will just move along. Nothing to see here…

Prairie Sunshine @ 108

Republican philosophy of governing.

They covet. Greed rules. And Me, the Sheeple goes along….

…driving off a bridge to nowhere.

Elliott @ 104

twolf1 @ 99

Snowjob on CSPAM3 bashing Dem Congress for doing nothing.

do you know if the SJC is resuming at 2:00 pm?

I wish someone would ask Snow the following: “Tony, we know you don’t have much time left in this world and we are all very sorry you have to suffer this. But don’t you have any concerns about the damaged world you will be leaving behind?”

LS @ 57

What the hell is this??? It is a new EO regarding blocking assets of people involved with Lebanon/Syria….however, in it, the president has declared 8/2/07, national emergency. By doing this, isn’t he automatically putting Directive 51 and the other EO’s into effect????

Don’t know about the covert “declaration of National Emergency”…heck I didn’t even think we were at a Code Yellow…much less a Code Red!

But it does seem that ISRAEL and ISRAELI supporters could very easily fall under the umbrella of being defined as “terrorists” under this Executive Order.

“A) to have taken, or to pose a significant risk of taking, actions, including acts of violence, that have the purpose or EFFECT of undermining Lebanon’s democratic processes or institutions, CONTRIBUTING TO the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon, supporting the reassertion of Syrian control or otherwise contributing to Syrian interference in Lebanon, or infringing upon or UNDERMINING LEBANESE SOVREIGNITY”

brendan @ 83

Probably. Here’s what Wikipedia says about the invocation of this act (i.e., Bush’s action jibes with its usual use here):

There were 32 declared national emergencies between 1976 and 2001. (Ref. 3) Most of these were for the purpose of restricting trade with certain foreign entities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) (50 U.S.C. 1701-1707)

Here’s a link from wikipedia that includes all instances of such “emergencies” since 1976:
http://fpc.state.gov/documents…..n/6216.pdf

Indeed, we’ve lived under such National Emergencies since 9/11. But a Joint Resolution of Congress OR Presidential announcement can terminate such a National Emergency.

Thus a simplae majority of both houses of Congress is sufficient to terminate any Emergency…of course, providing that the Republicans don’t filibuster.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/usc…..-000-.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news…..914-4.html